CHARLOTTE — The day before winter break, fifth grade students at University Meadows Elementary School thought they were being called together for a typical school assembly. However, they quickly learned it was anything but normal when their science teacher, Natalie Nighland, began handing out gifts to each of them.
One by one, Nighland called up all 94 of her students to surprise them with presents this holiday season.
“The holidays are always very magical to me,” she told Channel 9’s Elsa Gillis. “I wanted to bring that magic to my classroom and just celebrate them.”
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The gifts were donated from her friends and family all across the country, and they’re all personal to the students.
Bilal Tawwab is the school principal. He says Nighland is a teacher every principal would want in their school.
“School culture and climate is the precursor to their success,” he added. “We want to create this environment where kids feel heard, where they have these positive relationships, where they can depend on adults.”
While the presents brought out pure joy, it’s who and what’s behind them that really matters.
“I just want them to take away from this that I love them, that I see them, I hear them, they’re valued,” Nighland said.
This isn’t the first year Nighland has surprised her students for the holidays, but it was the biggest as each and every fifth grader left with a personalized gift.
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